The Nigeria Police Force has arrested two suspects in connection with the abduction of two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) at Idi-Ayunre in Ibadan, Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The suspects, identified as Shehu and Abubakar, were apprehended during an ongoing security operation launched after the incident, which occurred at about 6 p.m. on May 19, 2026.
In a statement issued in Ibadan, the Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said a distress report was received at the Idi-Ayunre Divisional Police Headquarters from the institute’s Chief Security Officer, informing the police that unidentified armed men had invaded the premises and abducted two staff members.
According to the statement, police operatives immediately visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment, where preliminary investigations revealed that about six armed men carried out the attack before fleeing with the victims to an unknown destination.
Ayanlade disclosed that intensive bush-combing and coordinated search operations commenced across surrounding forested areas linked to the incident.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Olugbemiga Abimbola, directed the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence assets, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, to secure the release of the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The police spokesperson explained that during one of the operations conducted on May 20 at about 8:10 a.m., operatives intercepted two suspicious individuals, later identified as Shehu and Abubakar.
“Upon preliminary interrogation, the duo volunteered to lead the operatives to the hideout of their accomplices,” Ayanlade stated.
He said the operatives, while approaching the suspected hideout, came under gunfire attack from armed men believed to be members of the kidnapping syndicate.
“The operatives responded professionally, repelled the attack, and successfully extracted the two suspects, who are currently in the custody of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further investigation and intelligence exploitation,” he added.
The command also expressed concern over what it described as false and misleading reports circulating on social media alleging another mass abduction in Abanla community and other parts of Ibadan.
Ayanlade clarified that no such incident had been reported anywhere within Ibadan metropolis apart from the CRIN kidnapping case already under investigation.
He warned media organisations, bloggers, and social media users against spreading unverified security-related information capable of creating panic and undermining ongoing security efforts.
The police reassured residents that adequate security measures had been put in place across affected areas and urged members of the public to remain calm, vigilant, and supportive of security agencies through credible information sharing.
